The Guardia Civil has arrested a 33-year-old man as the alleged perpetrator of four property crimes involving the theft of more than 12,000 metres of copper public lighting cable, valued at 70,155 euro.
The investigation, carried out by the Agricultural Theft Team (ROCA) based in Calpe as part of “Operation Cobrali”, began after Alcalalí Town Council reported the theft of around 6,000 metres of public lighting cable from a residential estate in the municipality.
Officers subsequently became aware of further cable thefts in Murla and Javea involving thousands of metres of cable with similar characteristics. The thefts left several residential developments without street lighting, creating concern among local neighbours and causing substantial financial damage to the councils responsible for lighting maintenance.
Investigating officers carried out extensive enquiries, including analysing camera footage from the affected areas and studying energy consumption patterns across the residential estates to establish the exact times the thefts occurred. Images of a vehicle potentially linked to the incidents were located during the investigation.
These enquiries enabled officers to identify the suspect and link him to the four crimes under investigation. On 28th July, officers located the suspect in Riba-roja de Túria (Valencia) and arrested him, seizing 200 metres of copper public lighting cable at the scene.
The detainee faces two charges of burglary with force and two charges of theft. He has been brought before the Court of Instruction in Dénia, which granted conditional release subject to court appearances and a ban on leaving national territory.
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